Sketch comedy is a vital thread in the genre, one defined by short skits usually pre-scripted and formulated by groups of comedians working together. Think Monty Python, The Kids in the Hall, and one of the longest-running variety sketch shows: Saturday Night Live. These programs, which trace their origins to old Vaudeville stage routines, range in style, approach, and themes.
This list amasses some of the best and often forgotten sketch comedies from the past four decades. Hopefully, you know a few. If you don't, then hopefully this will encourage you to check some of them out.
The State (1993 - 1995)
The young troupe of comedians who comprise the cast of MTV's The State all went on to become well-known actors. From Thomas Lennon to Michael Ian Black to Ken Marino, the show's 11 cast all got their start on this irreverent sketch comedy show.
The State's humor is targeted toward '90s teen audiences, the show experiments with every kind of humor, from high-brow satire to low-brow slapstick. The cast wrote, directed, and maintained creative control over the series. These actors went on to collaborate on future shows like Reno 911! and movies like Wet Hot American Summer.
The Ben Stiller Show (1990 - 1993; 1995)
MTV also took a chance with Ben Stiller in the early '90s, giving him his own sketch comedy show that lasted 13 episodes. While no DVD exists for its first run, the sketches are interspersed with music videos, which MTV hoped would garner a wider viewing audience.
Fox picked up The Ben Stiller Show in 1992, and Stiller stars alongside Jeanine Garafalo, Andy Dick, and Bob Odenkirk. Stiller's quirky comedy style is on full display here, and the comedic abilities of Garafalo and Odenkirk give it a necessary structure.
The Day Today (1994)
The Day Today is a British sketch comedy that doubles as a parody of a BBC current affairs program. In lieu of a variety show, its sketches are united by this overlapping theme. This hilarious short-lived series is hosted by Chris Morris, who co-created it with Armando Iannucci.
You might recognize Iannucci as the creator of witty political comedies like The Thick of It and Veep. The Day Today is in line with Iannucci's satirical style, replete with fictional news stories, investigative reports, and fake commercials for other BBC programs.
The Tracey Ullman Show (1987-1990)
British comedian Tracey Ullman landed her own variety show on Fox in 1987 courtesy of television producer James L. Brooks. Part sketch show, part animated series, and part musical featuring dance routines coordinated by Paula Abdul, The Tracey Ullman Show is where Matt Groening's earliest animated shorts featuring the Simpsons first aired.
Ullman is known for her ability to portray a range of eccentric people, and the show's sketches revolve around her diverse comedic character acting skills. Her ing cast includes Julie Kavner, Dan Castellaneta, Sam McMurray, and Joseph Malone.
In Living Color (1990 - 1994)
This diverse and zany sketch show is the brainchild of Keenen Wayans. In addition to Keenen's siblings Damon, Kim, Shawn, and Marlon, the show also stars Jamie Foxx, David Allan Greer, and Jim Carrey. In Living Color is singular for hosting a predominantly black cast at a time when most sketch shows featured white comedians.
The series features multiple recurring characters and skits, such as "The Homeboy Shopping Network" and Homey the Clown. Wayans's decision to include contemporary urban black life in his show, as opposed to more sanitized interpretations of black culture deemed palatable for white audiences, caused a feud between Fox producers and the show's writing crew.
Mr. Show With Bob And David (1995 - 1998)
Here's hoping you Mr. Show, but in case you don't, it's the HBO sketch show responsible for solidifying the careers of David Cross and Bob Odenkirk. The show integrates skits in front of a live studio audience and pre-recorded sketches connected from episode to episode.
This hilarious series also opened up doors for lesser-known comedians at the time, like Sarah Silverman, Paul F. Tompkins, Jack Black, and Scott Aukerman. Mr. Show harkens back to the absurdity of the Monthy Python brand of comedy, which is updated for '90s comedy fans.
Upright Citizens Brigade (1998 - 2000)
The Chicago improvisational sketch comedy group Upright Citizens Brigade landed its own Comedy Central series. The main cast features four of its original : Matt Walsh, Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, and Ian Roberts. All have since gone on to act in numerous television shows and films.
The cast play chaos agents who monitor subjects in every episode, and this overarching framework organizes the nature of the sketches. At the end of each episode, the characters and stories come together in one final sketch. Sometimes, the cast take hidden cameras out into the real world and try to involve unsuspecting people in their mayhem.
The Chris Rock Show (1997 - 2000)
Do you Chris Rock's HBO sketch show? Set up like a late-night talk show featuring different celebrity guests, each episode also contains pre-recorded skits. The series earned an Emmy in 1999.
In addition to interviewing other comedians, the episodes include musical guests, ranging from D'Angelo to Cake. Memorable sketches involve Chris interacting with non-actors, such as ex-girlfriends. He also conducts on-the-street interviews.
Viva Variety (1997 - 1999)
A parody of European variety shows, this Comedy Central series features The State alums Thomas Lennon, Michael Ian Black, Kerri Kenney, and Ben Garant. It lasted for two seasons, and each episode involves classic variety show shenanigans.
Since the series includes a live audience, the sketches often incorporate audience . Such sketches include weird game shows, fake sponsor plugs, and sci-fi mockeries. Viva Variety is derived from a sketch on The State entitled "The Mr. and Former Mrs. Laupin Variety Program."
Not Necessarily The News (1982 - 1990)
The longest-running series on this list, Not Necessarily The News is an HBO spoof of the nightly news. It features sketches, parody news items, and fake commercials. Its main cast includes Anne Bloom, Danny Breen, Rich Hall, Mitchell Laurance, Stuart Pankin and Lucy Webb.
Right before it ended, Conan O'Brien and Greg Daniels ed the show's writing team, two Harvard graduates who would go on to define contemporary comedic television.